Star Wars toy collecting officially became no fun tonight. My wife and I took an hour out of our evening to hit a Target that was reported, through the "just found" boards here, to have #33-#40, the Deluxe Vulture Droid, Clone Trooper with Jetpack, Darth Vader on Operating Table, and Yoda on Can-Celll, and lo and behold, they had NOTHING!

For all I know, the damned scalpers are reading these boards too so they can run out and get anything that is reported. I can't even trust the reports I get on here anymore, and now I'm not even going to try to help anyone out for fear of giving the info to scalpers.

WHEN is Hasbro going to learn not to shortpack figures? If you cannot provide them in large quantities, JUST DON'T SHIP THEM YET!

What is the delicate brain-surgery required to get them to understand that they need to ship waves in 6/6 to a case of the same two figures, with the exception of army builders which they ship in cases of 12? What stroke of genius do they need to have such that they realize how not to over-produce stuff at the beginning of the line to choke pegs (i.e. all the Deluxe figures that came out April 2nd and which are warming pegs nationwide) and to instead produce more even numbers of new product?

I know that the Boston area is one of the worst areas in the country for scalping, but this is ridiculous! I read on here how people are finding this and that and I cannot find ANYTHING in stores anywhere around here!

How much longer until Hasbro starts shipping #33-#40 and the new Deluxe figures in massive enough quantities such that the scalpers don't bother buying any more because they have more stock than they can move, or is that too much to ask for?

I am really sick of the scalping around here. There is stuff from Boston sellers ALL over eBay and NONE of it is ever on pegs. I hope all the scalpers get into car accidents and cannot get transfusions because someone else used all the blood of their blood types already...

moulman

05-02-2005, 09:28 PM

I am really sick of the scalping around here. There is stuff from Boston sellers ALL over eBay and NONE of it is ever on pegs. I hope all the scalpers get into car accidents and cannot get transfusions because someone else used all the blood of their blood types already...

dont worry about them having any, Ive already got all the blood transfusions from around Boston; go check ebay, you'll see emlol

But seriously, scalpers suck...no questions asked

Hellboy

05-02-2005, 09:30 PM

Sounds to me like its more of a scalping problem in your area than poor distribution on the part of Hasbro. I'm sure you've heard this before but you should try and get to the stores at opening as to level the playing field with the scalpers. Unless they've got someone pulling from the backroom of stores their chances wouldn't be any greater than yours at obtaining new toys if you do this. If you can't make it to the stores at opening I'd recommend trying Hasbro's online store. I can't attest as to how good this new online store is but it sounds like it might be something you could benefit from and maybe put a little bit of the fun back into your hobby.

sease9

05-02-2005, 10:03 PM

I saw tons, and I mean tons of them today, at my local Target...

I'm sure you'll find them eventually.

Scackmgack

05-02-2005, 11:02 PM

*sigh*

I just needed to vent.

I know if I get to stores early, I have a shot in hell. I went to a local Target this past Saturday and got a Clone Pilot, two Clone Commanders, the Exploding Grievous and #35 Palpatine. First time I have seen any of them on pegs.

Problem is, I just can't get to stores in the morning save for the weekends, and I am not giving up both of the only days I can sleep late, considering I work full-time.

I think HasbroToyShop.Com and I are going to be doing a lot of business together in the near future...when you factor in the gas and the time, screw it. I just want my figures.

sithspider

05-03-2005, 12:02 AM

*sigh*

I just needed to vent.

I know if I get to stores early, I have a shot in hell. I went to a local Target this past Saturday and got a Clone Pilot, two Clone Commanders, the Exploding Grievous and #35 Palpatine. First time I have seen any of them on pegs.

Problem is, I just can't get to stores in the morning save for the weekends, and I am not giving up both of the only days I can sleep late, considering I work full-time.

I think HasbroToyShop.Com and I are going to be doing a lot of business together in the near future...when you factor in the gas and the time, screw it. I just want my figures. Hey I have an Idea that might work for both of us I posted it the mass thread you might wanna check it out. I live in the boston area and I have not had a hard time finding figs. I have them all 1-40 (both guards) (both #35 Palps) (all 4 exclusives) all found on pegs around here but every one is diffrent i only buy one of each to hang on my wall. I understand when you read that people are buying clones in masses 8,9,10 at a time an you cannot find any. But us collectors have to help each other out. Hey if i did not read on here about Kohls I never would have gone there and I found 35-40 there. just my thoughts

WesleySr

05-03-2005, 02:47 AM

Yeah, I also don't understand Hasbro's thinking. 41-44 is nothing but army builders. Why would you not ship cases with 3 of each of those figures and no re-packs. Also, they do not need any repacks of anything 1-32, except army builders.

jaxx

05-03-2005, 12:29 PM

I have a feeling that I'm going to ramble on in no apparent order, but I am frustrated as well with the difficulty in finding newer figures and items.

I have to agree with ya... the distribution where I live really sucks, too. The stores just aren't getting anything in stock. I know its more the fault of the stores not ordering the produts rather than Hasbro not sending the products, but it's not like Hasbro has any sense when it comes to the evening out the quantities of each figure in the boxes. They need to package even quantities of each figure. That would make sense. You mix those two things (distribution and short packing) with the scalpers, and you have a perfect formula to get screwed. I've gone into TRUs and WalMarts, and it's the same story -- "we haven't received anything new for a long time now." It's because the pegs are FULL of all of that SH*T from April 2nd. The stores just aren't able to move the product because the prices aren't dropping (The WalMarts by me had the prices for the figures set at just around $4.84 the first week of the release of the figures, and now they've bumped them up to the just over $5 price tag... yeah... that makes sense), and the consumers already have all of the figures through #32 (except the Royal Guards, which I haven't been able to find anywhere... not even on Hasbro's online store).
This bring me to my next concern... I also hear reports of people finding all of these figures, and I just can't locate them.
I hear tons of reports of people finding the Clone Commander overflowing off of the pegs at their Targets, but when I go to any of the 3 Targets by me, they only have figures up to 32, with mass quantities of #27 and #28. So where are they??? I can't make it into the stores at opening because I have to be at work at 8:30AM, and my commute is almost 2 hours some days. Who can possibly make it to the stores at opening??? So, unless you have a job that starts late, or unless you have a part time job, or unless you're simply jobless (in which case I have NO idea how you'd afford the figures to begin with) you just can't get to the stores in time to beat the scalpers. When I call these stores to find out if they've received any new stock, the only store that actually receives anything is Target. If I can get somone to actually help me (which they are always reluctant to do, for whatever reason), they only seem to receive more of the exclusive cups w/ figures, Playschool items, or Galactic Heros. They don't get any 3 3/4" figs in. I've heard reports of Kohl's having the figures past #33, but at the 2 Kohl's in my area, they only have through #32 (with mass quantities of the "quick draw Clone trooper). When I ask them if they have anything else in stock, they just say to call back the next day. They aren't even willing to look.
Store employees just get a bad taste in their mouth when they think about us "collectors." They think about "those guys" that wait in the parking lots a half hour before the stores open so they can be the first to get to the Star Wars aisle. They think about "those guys" that wait around at 11Pm or midnight EVERY night in the local 24 hour Meijer or Walmart stores... just so they can tear into the unopened boxes before anyone else gets a chance. They think about "those guys" that walk up to the register with a couple of BOXES of figures, or with 15 of the same figure. They think about "those guys" that ask for an employee to go in back to check on something and then bi*ch them out when the employee says they can't. They think about "those guys" that jump in front of kids in the Star Wars aisle and load their carts with all of the figures. I've either seen all of this, or heard all of this from store employees. They just don't want to deal with "those guys" anymore, and, unfortunately, they assume that we are all like "those guys." But we are not all like "those guys." A lot of us are professional people with real 9 to 5 jobs, who don't make a living out of rushing the local stores, buying up figures at retail, and then going back to our comic book shops or computers to sell them for a 600% markup. They imagine that all of us are the same way, and they simply don't want to help us. It's unfortunate.
I think that the Hasbro store online can help to remedy some of this. They just need to carry all of their products online, and in good quantities (you'd think that they could have an endless supply because they are, in fact, the manufacturer). I went online today, and I couldn't find any of the Royal Guards or figures over #36.
I guess that I needed to vent as well...

Ramy

05-03-2005, 01:39 PM

Maybe some of the guys/gals in places where figures are overflowing the isles with the new ones, can help out the ones where they can't be found. Just a suggestion.

kool-aid killer

05-03-2005, 01:48 PM

I feel for you guys who have missed out on figures. If possibly, i would try to establish trade contacts with other collectors that way you have an extra set of eyes out for you. There are plenty of good guys (and gals) that arent against going one for one or selling at cost plus the price to ship. Or in Scackmgacks case, prior to posting in the thread concerning just found figures in your city ask the other posters if they would be willing to shoot you a PM first (and should you find something new do the same for them), and then hold off on reporting what they/you found a day or two so that forum members can try to get dibs on them before others know of their presence. Im sure SSG is used by scalpers, i ran into some people during Midnight Madness that said they used it. While i doubt they were scalpers, its not hard to imagine someone within my own city reading my words in the Nebraska Just Found thread and using what i post to supplement their trade.

tagmac

05-03-2005, 02:10 PM

That's why I never say exactly where I found something. With all the scalpers in my area, I refuse to aid the "competition."

What with the rumors of Target putting out new product on either the 5th or the 8th (and my having seen the remnants of a case of new deluxe figs on Saturday), I've been hitting there every morning in the hopes of finding something. I feel like such a fool, and the employees probably think I'm "one of those guys," but it's my only recourse. And since I don't have to be at work til 8:45, and the Target is 5 minutes away, it's easy to stop in there before work and after lunch. Of course, this morning, I get there to find two dorks frantically searching through the pegs. I know you shouldn't automatically label people as being scalpers, but I find that usually collectors take their time, and calmly search, while guys looking for a quick buck rifle through the pegs like there's no tomorrow. Seeing as how Hasbro sold out of 41-44 before I could even get online to find out that they were finally open, I can only hope my 2-3 trips to Target each day this week will pay off.

About the only encouraging thing I've seen so far was a TRU 1/2 hour away from me that actually had a large amount of 33-36, in the late evening (suggesting they may have been sitting for a few hours). I'll definitely try to hit this place anytime I'm in the area, as it appears they are actually living up to their promise of getting in new figures every two weeks. With a little luck, by the time the Tarkin and Mustafar Anakin waves hit, maybe those 6 figures will be easier to find since none are true army builders. Course, Hasbro.com having more product and putting purchase limits on these things would help a great deal.

1st Prime

05-03-2005, 02:55 PM

i don't know if this has been discussed before. the stores should limit the amount of items (figures) per customer. say 2 per customer? put a sign displayed in the figure section stating this. but will it help? i don't know, when i go to target, walmart, tru & if i see a couple of guys going thru the figs. i just wait & ask them if they found anything new. no sarcasm/hostility in my voice.

i just collect the villians so it "figures" that some of the figures are baddies. i haven't found #33-up series yet. but they will be stocked in stores.............hopefully. :ermm:

Scackmgack

05-03-2005, 02:56 PM

I really think that HasbroToyShop.Com is the solution, not to sound like I am schilling for them or anything.

Last night, I bought 4 Clone Pilots from them. That's it - I have my Pilots and I am done, and I feel great. Yes, I had to pay an extra $1.30 per figure, and yes I had to pay shipping, and yes I have to wait 7-10 days to get them - but I will get them, and that's all that matters!

These are all excellent ideas that have been proferred here - but, after a fashion, the fact that this much thinking needs to go into how I can get some bloody TOYS already exemplifies the problem. This is supposed to be a fun hobby, something to do in my spare time. It is NOT supposed to be a source of stress.

Last night, I decided that I am done making "the toy run." I will not drag myself and my wife all over creation looking for Star Wars figures. If I find stuff in stores I happen to be in, so be it; and when I go into those stores to run errands and wander into the toy aisle while my wife is getting stuff I am not interested in, and when I find nothing on the pegs and shelves other than peg- and shelf-warmers on a consistent basis, it will only serve to reinforce why I am no longer making the toy runs.

It was kind of sad, getting "fed up" with a hobby I have held since I was like four years old, but I just hit the last straw. I guess I am getting old, too old to put up with the nonsense that is Star Wars toy collecting in the Boston area.

I do intend on taking up black magic so I can wish all sorts of interesting diseases in interesting places on all the scalpers around here, however...

tagmac

05-03-2005, 04:23 PM

The biggest problem with the scalping/hoarding stems from the fact that they are mostly tiny-brained idiots who have no sense of economics. Now before you all rip me, here's why I say it.

People saw that the vintage figures, even loose, fetch a pretty penny these days. Mint on a card, they'll all bring back at least a 4-500% return on what they originally cost at retail. Come 1995, all these morons immediately figured, "if those were worth money, I'd better get as many of these as possible, cuz they're gonna be worth money 20 years from now." Now, anyone with a brain would realize that the reason the vintage were worth so much is because we all PLAYED WITH THEM as kids! Scalping didn't exist back then the way it does today, and so vintage figures on cards are worth so much simply because so many toys were played with, few exist still MIP by comparison. The early lunacy of packing 1 Leia to every 5 cases, 1 Lando per case, and the late arrival of Threepio fueld the scalping issue even worse than the guys trying to make an "easy retirement" (anyone remember the $60 Leia's and $80 Threepios?). The truth is, with so much product being hoarded MIP, the loose figures might actually be worth more than the carded ones down the road - and that's not saying much. When KB got in tons of the supposedly rare/discontinued Lobot and Removable Limbs Threepio waves, I watched a guy stack about 20-30 of EACH figure on the floor, and the idiots in KB actually let him buy that much. Weeks later, they got tons more in, so I'm sure that loser got little on HIS "investment."

Sure, there's figures like Ephant Mon and the 7 EU figures (Mara Jade, etc) that no one ever found at retail, and some common figures with variations that were rare, but these were the exception - not the norm. Scalpers are killing this hobby for the rest of us now, but when they're stuck with worthless product down theroad that they can't get rid of, we'll all have the last laugh.

DieselsDen

05-03-2005, 04:46 PM

Excellent analysis regarding the scalper situation, tagmac. Toys are meant to be played with and enjoyed. Unless the rest of the non-STAR WARS fan world suddenly becomes rabid collectors (and I mean collectors, not speculators), nobody will get rich off any non-vintage items.

I came to this site because I've enjoyed STAR WARS since I was a kid. At that time, I was too young to afford the originals. Now, I can buy the toys for my own young 'uns and briefly re-live my own childhood (or at least, prolong my immaturity) through their fun. But to think that I'll make vast sums of money on these plastic products is ridiculous.

But, as to the topic on-hand, I hope HasbroToyShop.com does a better job at meeting collectors' demands.

JON9000

05-03-2005, 04:54 PM

The reason scalpers scalp is because they know there are goofballs out there who will pay a premium to have the figures as soon as they are released. After the initial rush, almost all figures are eventually easy to find with only a very few rare exceptions. Case in point- monkey face Leia on a red card. $2 on ebay today.

Just relax, let other people play the fool (speculation on these figures is simply stupid- too many people keep figures on the card now), rest easy knowing you will eventually find what you want at a retail price. Do you really need it today? Jeez, guys, I used to hunt, but only as a diversion. Remember, a Jedi has patience.

DieselsDen

05-03-2005, 05:08 PM

I should also point out that it doesn't help collectors when they see recently released figures and vehicles being sold by reputable dealers like Brian's Toys and Entertainment Earth for exhorbitant prices. I mean, the Fambaa toy is going for over $150 on those retail sites. C' mon! Lava Vader is listed for $99.00. That is one of the reason why fans like me feel so compelled to get the figures sooner rather than later. But it's true that not having patience is costly.

beckmen

05-03-2005, 05:18 PM

Yeah, I don't get it either. Furthur waves ship with Wave I figs in them don't they? The new figs will be snatched up and the old figs will be warming the pegs forever. Hasbro has doomed themselves back to TPM territory. It doesn't seem like good buisiness at all...

JON9000

05-03-2005, 05:50 PM

Fambaa toy is going for over $150 on those retails sites.
You can get a Fambaa right now for $70 bucks (which I think is close to what is was at retail) on ebay. You can get 99% of the modern at or below retail. Those who pay outrageous prices only shaft themselves.

DieselsDen

05-03-2005, 06:00 PM

I agree that paying these outrageous prices are, well, outrageous. But sometimes it's too big a risk to take to wait in the short run. (God knows what the long run will be, but I'd rather enjoy something that interests me NOW rather than wait a year or two for a price reduction - assuming it even happens.)

Case in point: I missed out on the OTC Y-Wings last year when they were sold at TRU. Because Christmas was coming, I paid about $40.00 for one on Amazon, which ticked me off because it was more expensive than the original retail, but what could I do? I am now interested in another one for my niece, but I can't find them for less than $65.00 on eBay, and $80 on Brian's Toys! I could wait so as not to get gouged, but the fact is my niece wants one for her birthday, STAR WARS is hot right now, and I want to make her happy.

Of course it is MY FAULT ENTIRELY for paying these high prices, but there is a time when waiting is not practical (non-financially speaking, that is). It's no different from Cabbage Patch Dolls, Tickle Me Elmo or whatever fad that's "in."

By the way, where can I get a Fambaa for $70?

Scackmgack

05-04-2005, 11:04 AM

I try to wait when I can - to wit, I have purchased hardly any of #1 - #32 because they are warming pegs all over the Boston area - but when it comes to figures that are popular, if you live in a high-scalper area, you have no choice but to hunt unless you want to force yourself into the position of going the online route. Hasbro does NOT always ship enough product to make it not worth the scalpers' while to buy up everything when it hits shelves. Ephant Mon, the McQuarrie Stormtroopers, the Target exclusive Desert Skiff, B-Wing, and Y-Wing - need I go on?

You are not always going to find what you want at a retail price if you wait - it is entirely dependent on where you live. In the Boston area, if you don't hunt you're not getting anything other than the initial and overshipped first wave of a new line at retail. Period.

An acquaintance gave me a theory which I think holds true...right now, around here anyway, #33-#40 are nowhere. I saw two Clone Commanders, 1 Clone Pilot, 1 Palpatine #35 and 1 Exploding Body Greivous on pegs since the new line was released April 2nd, and that was because I got up around 9:00 a.m. and drove to a local Target to see what they had, mostly out of curiosity. I have no doubts that had I not gotten myself out of the house that early, I would still not have seen a single figure #33-#40 anywhere in the Boston area.

To be fair, I have also seen one Blue Saber #35 in a Wal-Mart, but passed on it because I don't care much about variations.

Anyway, to return to the point, let's take AT-TE gunners. Short-packed as all hell to begin with, and I've only even heard of a single one being seen on a peg in the Boston area in a month, and that is while networking with people here on SSG. ONE in a MONTH!

The scalpers are undoubtedly getting them all during their early-morning-because-I-have-no-real-job-toy-runs they do every single day. They then are selling them online at tremendous profit - so this figure has now marked itself as a "hot" item in their minds.

Therefore, they will continue to pick up all of these that they see, whenever they see them, until such time as they cease to garner profits on eBay, which will not be until the market (if and when) is absolutely FLOODED with AT-TE gunners such that it is no longer profitable to continue building their stock because they won't be able to move them all.

We all know that the market is never going to be flooded with AT-TE gunners, any more than Ephant Mon ever flooded pegs, or the McQuarrie Stormtroopers were ever plentiful. So us Boston collectors have three choices:

1) Buy the Gunners online at higher prices + shipping
2) Buy the Gunners on eBay and encourage the scalping
3) Go hunting for Gunners on a regular basis in the hope of finding one.

Although I am moving more and more into online purchasing because I am fed up with hunting, it still galls me that I should be able to get the figures I need for $5.24 right now and cannot because of the scalping b@st*rds. I just got four Clone Pilots for my ARC-170 and my Ep. II gunship to supplement the one I picked up last weekend, and I essentially paid for four figures what I could have paid for six if I was getting them at retail.

A small price to pay for not having to hunt, but it still galls me that I am reduced to it due to the shenanigans of scalpers.

Yes, scalpers indeed suck, but here's the thing, there will be a point down the line where there will be an abundance of these figures and everyone will be able to get them. Sure it will probably be a little down the line(couple months)but they WILL be there. The only reason why scalpers have success in selling in-store figures for double+ the price is because we the fans are impatient for the figures. My advise, learn patients.

Scackmgack

05-04-2005, 03:04 PM

Patience...and I am sorry, but that does not always hold true.

Ephant Mon never showed up on pegs in the Boston area. Never. I never saw a single one.

Never saw a McQuarrie Stormtrooper except on a peg in a scalper store.

Never saw a Desert Skiff or Y-Wing.

Patience does not make up for lack of supply and active scalping sometimes. It depends on what, specifically, you are looking for.

I am sure it is different in many parts of the country. Boston, from what others collectors tell me, is particularly bad.

sithspider

05-04-2005, 03:50 PM

Hmm this is kinda a weird topic. Only because I agree with most people about the scalper thing. But I mean they are everywhere. Evey try to get tickets for a concert and it sold out and you have to call a ticket agent. But I mean about short packed figures. There has to be one. Not that its fair but that is what keepe us going back. Ever try to collect Mcfarlane stuff.... forget it is impossible i am still trying to find twin 2 from the matric collection. And his sports picks forget someone is always short packed some only come like 1 every 6 cases and every has an alternate uniform. But back to Star Wars I me look at the red guard (i found one at target when I was getting my lava vader) I have not seen one since. And hasbro said that it was the case figure. Who knows why they pack things the way they do. I live near boston an I have ucky found everything that I am looking for. I only buy one of each so that could be a little diffrent. I think stores should limit the amount of a certain figure you can buy. Like when you here people buying 15-20 target clones. I mean come one people there are other collectors. Just my random thoughts

aricajade

05-04-2005, 04:34 PM

The reason scalpers scalp is because they know there are goofballs out there who will pay a premium to have the figures as soon as they are released.

And this is why people scalp the toys. It isn't the scalpers fault. You are on the right track by blaming Hasbro for packing the way they do. Why every case has basically the same 8 figures with 4 that are different.

Scalpers aren't the anti-christ (as most of you would like to portray them).
They aren't all jobless jerks.
They don't all push kids aside to scalp.
They don't all buy up in hordes everything in sight.
They aren't all living at home with their parents alone.

I know because I am a scalper. There, I've said it.

I have a regular 8-5 job, a wife and a 4 yr old son.
I have sold my share of figures. I do make late night runs to the 24 hr stores, but I did that when I was just buying my own as well. Because of Hasbro's crappy packing, and the stores inability to sell the crap that was left out of each case.

I have collected Star Wars figures since I was seven...I'm now 34.

I don't understand someone's need to pay more for a figure that will be on every shelf in two weeks, but there are plenty of people who will/do. I personally wouldn't. I would wait for it to come out. The only figures I personally would/have paid more for are exclusives that I haven't found or don't have access to. But I understand why people have exclusives and think they are a good source of generating traffic for a store/chain.

Scalpers are not the problem. It's the over the top collector fanatics that spend $30 on a single figure just because they can get it 2-3 weeks before the average person.

On another note, unless your scalpers are stupid, no one is going to get hung with mass quantities of anything. Wal-Mart, Target, TRU, Kohl's, K-B all have return policies. Nobody gets hung with this stuff.

On yet another note, maybe if our current administration in the White House wasn't sending all the jobs overseas and replacing them with lower paying jobs, I might not have to scalp figures just to afford to buy some for my kid.

I'm not trying to start a war here, just making a point that not all scalpers are scumbags.

Jedibill

05-04-2005, 04:39 PM

Amazon.com has the AT-TE tank gunner in stock $6.99 if you really won't it or can't find it heres your chance hurry up, they also have a few others too.

With all the negative store reports lately, I thought I would share a positive experience I had today.

This afternoon, I went to the Target here in Watsonville, CA just to see if they had any new figures. To my surprise, there was a lone Neimodian Warrior (#42) on the peg. My thinking was that they had probably put out a fresh case this morning, and someone must have grabbed the other figures.

Taking a chance, I brought the Neimodian to an employee nearby, and asked if she could scan it to see if they had any more in the back. She was more than happy to do so. The scanner showed that they indeed had another case in the back, and she promptly used her radio to have someone in the back bring it out for me. The guy in the stockroom replied on the radio that we already had some out there on the pegs. She then winked at me, and said to the guy that "there is plenty of room out here for more".

Five minutes later, the guy brought out a new case of figures. I got #s 41-44 without a problem, and placed the rest on the pegs for them. The case assortment of new figs is not too bad:

I still cannot figure out WHY Hasbro continues to keep the clone figures in short supply. I thought for sure there would be AT-TE gunners in the mix. I'm not an army builder at all (I get just one of each fig), but once these new waves come out, I'm QUITE sure that #41 & #44 are both going to be extremely hard to find. For once I wish Hasbro would just pack even cases, so at least the more popular figures would get into the hands of the "one-of-every-figure" type of collector like myself.

Good luck to everyone.

MTFBWY

sease9

05-04-2005, 05:19 PM

With all the negative store reports lately, I thought I would share a positive experience I had today.

This afternoon, I went to the Target here in Watsonville, CA just to see if they had any new figures. To my surprise, there was a lone Neimodian Warrior (#42) on the peg. My thinking was that they had probably put out a fresh case this morning, and someone must have grabbed the other figures.

Taking a chance, I brought the Neimodian to an employee nearby, and asked if she could scan it to see if they had any more in the back. She was more than happy to do so. The scanner showed that they indeed had another case in the back, and she promptly used her radio to have someone in the back bring it out for me. The guy in the stockroom replied on the radio that we already had some out there on the pegs. She then winked at me, and said to the guy that "there is plenty of room out here for more".

Five minutes later, the guy brought out a new case of figures. I got #s 41-44 without a problem, and placed the rest on the pegs for them. The case assortment of new figs is not too bad:

I still cannot figure out WHY Hasbro continues to keep the clone figures in short supply. I thought for sure there would be AT-TE gunners in the mix. I'm not an army builder at all (I get just one of each fig), but once these new waves come out, I'm QUITE sure that #41 & #44 are both going to be extremely hard to find. For once I wish Hasbro would just pack even cases, so at least the more popular figures would get into the hands of the "one-of-every-figure" type of collector like myself.

Good luck to everyone.

MTFBWY

Actually, there is another assortment (case # ending on 000Q) that comes packed with 2 Clone Troopers #41.

Galactic Hunter had some of the case #s listed, that's where I got this info from. ;)

Scackmgack

05-04-2005, 09:45 PM

And this is why people scalp the toys. It isn't the scalpers fault.

Scalpers are not the problem. It's the over the top collector fanatics that spend $30 on a single figure just because they can get it 2-3 weeks before the average person.

I'm not trying to start a war here, just making a point that not all scalpers are scumbags.

First of all, I have to say that I don't know you fit my defintion of a "scalper." If you are not going out on a daily basis and grabbing every single (or close to it) figure or vehicle you know to be rare to sell on eBay, but selling a few here and there, that doesn't make you a "scalper." "Scalpers" in my mind are professionals who make their living doing that.

I wouldn't be any less displeased with you if you did this in MY neighborhood, but I still wouldn't call you a "scalper," mostly because of how vehemently I despise scalpers and that low level of secondary-market selling doesn't arouse that level of ire.

But the argument that the buyers, not the scalpers, create the scalping is horsecrap. I know because I used the argument, once, when *I* scalped.

A week before the April 2nd release of the new line, I saw 12 Lava Vaders on the peg of a local Target. Honestly, it never occured to me to contact a manager and tell them that the figures weren't supposed to be out yet. For all I knew, all the figures had already been brought out and that was all that was left. It was a brand-new store and the employees might have also been new to Target and just made a mistake. I did find out on the 2nd that the store was woefully misinformed as to all the promotions going on as they didn't even know how to process the "dollar off each figure" coupon I had.

I learned that Lava Vaders were there the entire day of April the 2nd. I was there for the store opening and there were three full pegs of the Lava Vaders, and I know for a fact that I didn't rob anyone who got up early and waited in line to get a Lava Vader of the opportunity to get one (there were only ten shoppers there, some of whom passed on the Vader altogether) for which I am very thankful, considering the soul-searching I have done on what I did next.

I bought nine of the Lava Vaders I found, one for me, some to give away to friends and relatives...and some to try selling. I put two up on eBay that afternoon to see what I would get for them. I caught all kinds of crap for it on here, and I was plenty offended at being called a scalper. Scalpers are and always have been the enemy of all true collectors, much the same way they are the enemy of all true sports fans who just want to go see a ballgame and can't because the tickets were bought up by the scalpers.

Since the RotS toys have come out, I've done some serious soul-searching about having sold that Vader. I'm into moral philosophy as an academic discipline, so these sorts of questions concern me in everyday life. I cannot equate what I did to professional scalper scum. I stumbled upon something - I wasn't out in the world looking for it.

When I was being called a scalper, I used the exact same logic you used. "It's the buyers who create the scalpers - if people were not willing to pay for the product from scalpers, the scalpers would not scalp."
What I came to realize was that I was making that argument in an attempt to salve my conscience over having scalped, and as soon as I made that self-admissal, I had to admit that the logic does NOT hold.

The person who starts a chain of events is responsible for their conclusion.
The conclusion would never have been reached if the chain of events had not been started. Saying that buyers create the scalping is false logic. This is not a "chicken or the egg" situation, as much as trying to make it so obfuscates the morality of the issue so nicely. If scalpers did not scalp, there would be no scalping. Period. The secondary market would not exist if people did not feed it.

I've done it, myself. But I have no illusions as to who is responsible. *I* was responsible.

I am very happy that things played out the way they did at the Target where I bought those Lava Vaders because I know I will not be profitting at anyone's expense. There were plenty of Lava Vaders around here.

There are NOT plenty of AT-TE gunners or Polis Massan or Chopper Droids or Clone Pilots or Clone Commanders because scalpers are taking them all to sell on eBay.

Just because you CAN do something does not mean you MUST do something. Just because you CAN rob all the people in your area of the opportunity to get the choice figures from the new cases doesn't mean you HAVE to. I passed up a Vader on Operating Table and Clone Trooper with jetpack I could have purchased and scalped tonight because I already had one and two of each respectively for my own collection.

I could have purchased an entire case of the exclusive Target Clone Troopers nearly a week ago and made a killing, but I didn't. If I were a scalper, I would have bought them all.

As far as why you scalp...all I can say is I didn't get all the toys I wanted when I was a kid because my parents couldn't afford them, and I'm no worse the wear for it. If anything, it makes me appreciate the ability to buy them now that I can. Food for thought, perhaps.

I already have the Lava Vaders, and I am not going to divest myself of them now. By a combination of luck and good graces what I did didn't deprive anyone around here of their Lava Vader, but if it had, I would have been wrong for getting the ones I did, and I have no problem admitting it.

ROTJLuke

05-05-2005, 09:13 AM

Scalpers are bad in Michigan too, but Ive always gone online for a lot of my collecting. When you figure the time it takes to drive from a to b to c to d, and you come up empty handed all the time, and you come home with nothing, it sucks. You end up spending money on gas(which prices are ridiculous) and cigarettes and arazoina ice t (cause its good) and you have no SW figures. Online, yes you do pay shipping, and sometimes the prices are a little bit higher, but its less stressful, and you most often get what your looking for.

In contrast to that, when you do find that special figure, its awesome. You feel accomplished, and that you didnt just waste your time for nothing. When I used to go from a to b to c, I most often found what I wanted. Its always hit and miss.

aricajade

05-05-2005, 10:03 AM

Well Scackmgack, I'm glad we can co-exist on these boards together.

The disagreement that I have with what you stated is that the the line in my signature is to ease my conscience. I have absolutely no problem with what I do. It is more of a statement to make the anti-scalpers think about. It's just business for a lot of people, and if the sales are there, they are going to do it.

On another note, I was at a Wal-Mart on my way to work today and they had a skid of Star Wars figures big enough to stock an entire section...probably 12 cases of the #33-#36 case assortments (both versions). They had already stocked the section and there were probably a dozen commanders and a dozen pilots already hanging on the shelves. If all the Wal-marts are getting these, then you will get yours soon enough. They had a few of the #37-#40, but only two sets I'd say.

I managed to pick up #41-#44 there as well. But they didn't have the quantities of those.

ROTJLuke

05-07-2005, 01:11 PM

nice point...nice point...I mean its always hit and run. It depends on how much you want the figure. I go on eBay for some of my stuff, and Ive been an advid buyer from Brians...(havent purchased anything from him in a while) and with these Im finding them in the stores just fine...so its all about ones mood and how much their willing to go that extra mile to get that particular figure...

WesleySr

05-07-2005, 02:25 PM

Yeah, the stores in my area are starting to get the newer stuff as well. I went shopping yesterday and had some great finds.

I also received my clone trooper 4 packs from Alliance Collectibles, which made it a great day for Star Wars. :D

JEDIpartner

05-07-2005, 03:43 PM

WHEN is Hasbro going to learn not to shortpack figures? If you cannot provide them in large quantities, JUST DON'T SHIP THEM YET!

You make it sounds like Hasbro's fault that your store doesn't feel the need to order the new waves just yet OR need a large restock on those particular items. Yeesh... pause for thought, would ya?

WesleySr

05-07-2005, 04:09 PM

Yeah, but it is Hasbro's fault that they continue to ship cases that have older figures in them that are cluttering up the pegs.

Sean the Hutt

05-07-2005, 04:11 PM

San Diego, and Boston, are the worst scalper areas i think
a few words of advice, Only collect things you really like, as you may be stuck with them!

WesleySr

05-07-2005, 04:19 PM

The only bad thing about it is all of the damn exclusives. That is where the scalpers are really hurting this hobby. www.HasbroToyShop.com can offer all of the basic & deluxe figures they want, but they are not going to be selling the exclusive figures. You can go online right now and find people selling the Target Clone Troopers by the case. If they are gonna make exclusives and give them to individual stores, then they should make sure that there are enough of them available so that everyone has the opportunity to get one. Target needs to start limiting their Clone Troopers to one per customer. Also, they need to offer them online with the same limit. That way everyone has a chance to get them.

Hellboy

05-07-2005, 05:14 PM

Yeah but it is Hasbro's fault that they continue to ship cases that have older figures in them that are cluttering up the pegs.

Nobody forces the retailers to order these cases. A well managed toy department will hold back on ordering cases if they have an overabundance of said merchandise cluttering shelves. So blaming Hasbro for this is just unfair. As long as the figures are selling well Hasbro would be stupid not to keep shipping the first 32 figures especially when you consider its only been a month since their initial release and the movie hasn't even come out yet.

If they are gonna make exclusives and give them to individual stores, then they should make sure that there are enough of them available so that everyone has the opportunity to get one. Target needs to start limiting their Clone Troopers to one per customer. Also, they need to offer them online with the same limit. That way everyone has a chance to get them.

Who says Hasbro didn't make enough for everyone to get them. Just because you and others haven't found them before their street date doesn't necessarily mean there is a short supply. The whole idea of an exclusive is to reward the retailer for supporting Hasbro's products and to get people into their stores so yeah you'll most likely never see these on Hasbro's new online store. This shouldn't surprise anyone.

So before you guys go blaming Hasbro for all of your collecting woes you should stop and think for a second. Maybe then you'll realize that this has more to do with the idividual retailers and how they handle their exclusives and inventory rather than low production numbers and poor case distribution on the part of Hasbro.

Turbowars

05-07-2005, 08:38 PM

If retailers wish to carry the big $ making SW line they are forced to buy the cases Hasbro puts together. If they hold back on putting new waves out in anticipation they are going to sell 1-32 they will be loosing out on sales. Time and time again Hasbro screws the assortments up. They need to lower main character #'s and raise army building #'s. It's not like this is new guys. This has been happening for years. High Army builder #'s should be a no brainer, but I can see how figuring out others could be difficult. Even if the figure is a hunk of crap, it will turn into a hot item because the production run is low.

Scackmgack

05-07-2005, 10:20 PM

Lots of people to respond to...typing a name and then a response can sound curt, so please don't take it that way...

Aricajade - I didn't say you added that line in your sig to make yourself feel better, I said that *I* had said something similar to make *myself* feel better; and, having tossed the idea around in my head, I've come to the conclusion that it is a false statement. If you did not scalp the figures you scalped, people would not be buying them from you online. If no scalpers bought figures they did not intend to keep for their personal collections people who DID want them for their collections would be getting them, and paying less for them. Scalpers are responsible for scalping, not the buyers.

That's like saying the citizens of country A are responsible for their government making war against the citizens of country B because country B has a resource the citizens of county A want. The government of country A is responsible for the war, not the people.

The logic does not hold in either that theoretical example or your (and my) real-life scenario. I just want people to call a spade a spade and fess up. Whether or not you feel bad for scalping and screwing a lot of collectors in your area out of product at retail prices is entirely your affair - but don't say you aren't screwing them. I can respect a scalper who admits to what they are doing, but I cannot respect a scalper who tries to avoid admitting causing problems for collectors.

Scalpers cause scalping, not buyers - if you and the other scalpers left the product on the shelves me and the other collectors would never be in a position where we might have to consider buying said product on eBay because we could never find it on the pegs (like I had to buy my Ephant Mon on eBay).

JEDIpartnr - Whether stores order the new waves or not was not the point under discussion. The point under discussion that you referenced with that quote from my post was that Hasbro should not be short-packing figures, period. Short-packing is what ultimately provides the impetus for scalpers to scalp. If everything shipped to all markets in relatively-even numbers, there would BE no "rare" figures. There would certainly be "popular" figures, but even if the scalpers zeroed in on which ones they were, they wouldn't be able to charge as much for them as there would be so many more of them in the secondary markets they create, so some of the impetus for scalping would be eliminated.

The makeup of case assortments is 100% in the hands of Hasbro, so any and all problems caused by crappy case assortments can be laid right at their doorstep.

Furthermore, if cases were 6/6, imagine the release on April 2nd - Hasbro would have shipped less product to all markets because they would know that retailers would not order newer waves until the current product was sold. Therefore, Hasbro would not want to flood the market with early releases which would sit on pegs, like it is now, but would want to ship less product so it would move faster and cause the retailers to order more.

Then, they could have 4/4/4 cases of old waves, to ship some of the first release figures some people might not have bought, and have 6/6 cases of the new figures.

There ARE other options here, other ways Hasbro could try shipping their figures.

Before telling me to pause for thought, pause for thought and try to see why I said what I said. :P

Turbowars is RIGHT on in his assessment of things. This is an OLD problem. We already know a LOT of it is due to crappy case assortments. Why anyone wants to defend Hasbro or hesitate from criticizing them on this point when they have been doing this for a LONG time is beyond me. The jury has already been in on this and delivered its verdict - this thread was about discussing the current repercussions of Hasbro's continuing crappy case assortments (and me needing to vent about it).

To wit: I now have everything I want from #1 - #44, including vehicles and Deluxe Figures, but I have yet to SEE any AT-TE gunners on the pegs, and I do some pretty early a.m. shopping now. Not early enough to beat the scalpers, I guess, and they are leaving Clone Commanders and Pilots on the pegs. Clearly the AT-TE gunner is still rare as hell, even with the new case assortments coming in. Hasbro is to blame for this shortage.